Interesting, insightful and measured. Mariner doesn’t let any us off the hook of taking civic responsibility for the state of our nation. Information literacy needs to be taught along with civics. Perhaps this is a ‘Sputnik’ moment–when the U.S, rallied its schools to teach math and science so that we could keep up with the Russians in space.…[Read more]

Even back to the good old days of 2012 is a time warp. We have been travelling at warp speed since 2016–every day a new reason for angst. This essay is a wonderful tribute to the power of Neil Diamond’s music to transport us. Maybe what we all need is more music in our lives–and more poetry, more nature, and more friendship.

I’m so glad you cleared that up!

Law enforcement looks after its own??? Is that entirely fair–or legal? I know that is not the point of the essay, but that is another aspect of belonging. If you don’t belong, because you are not the right tribe (or color) it is hard to experience
that sense of oneness. But–I do not want to discourage mariner in his good feelings about…[Read more]

Happy talk–keep talking happy talk! (to steal lyrics from South Pacific…)

Can Mariner imagine another scenario for the future of mankind? We are in the stress of transition here, but it does not mean that things will necessarily devolve. Just as an exercise, I would like to read mariner’s version of a possible good future. The future is all in our imagination anyway. Might just as well be a happy place!

Your description of an ideal school environment is almost exactly what I learned in education classes 40 years ago. It describes the environment and philosophy of the first school where I was a media specialist (now called teacher librarians.) What happened along the way? I think it was Reaganomics, but I’m not sure. No Child Left Behind was…[Read more]

Mariner has a unique persona, indeed! AI affecting things like life insurance and health insurance is a scary thought. Even without AI, beginning in the 1980’s insurance has made decisions about health practices that only doctors used to make. It is too bad that the AMA was not able to make a stand at that time, but that was also a time when…[Read more]

This makes me think that the issues that loom so large to us now–Me, Too, Black Lives Matter, taking a knee, gun control, abortion, same sex marriage–issues that seem so important–are not going to matter when the apocalypse comes. Maybe we should practice looking at the truly large issues now–taking care of the earth and each other and figure…[Read more]

Jesus of Nazareth, John Wesley, Dr George LaMore, John Denver, Chris Bosley, Rachel Pedrick, Rev. Gerald Wert, Rev. Robert Crilley, Rev. Samuel Wells, Dr. Marcus Borg and others too numberous to mention (or remember!)

This issue could be a galvanizing issue for young voters–“who are these old people to make decisions about OUR future?” Are there enough young voters to make a difference? Are there enough young voters who are enlightened about the future they face? Is there a possibility of hope and change once again?

This is very interesting. I question the word meritocracy as it has overtones of elitism to me (because I would not rise very high in the ranks of a meritocracy!) I prefer equality of opportunity to a system that stratifies by ability. How does a meritocracy protect those with less merit but still have human needs? The bright and able will…[Read more]

I am so sorry that Trump has beaten us into the ground, aided and abetted by his base, and the Republican Party that goes along with his repugnant personality and policies in order to get whatever it is they want. Power, I guess. It is a long, strange time in this country. It is no wonder Mariner wants to secede. We used to take cookies to the…[Read more]

This is a very reasoned, thoughtful look at the way things have changed over the years, and will continue to change. I think we need older people–older even than 60–to have perspective and insight. I do not think the electorate can change the entrenched system, especially as the electorate does not speak with one voice. It may have to come…[Read more]

Interesting and unsettling–as futurists often are. My only question is at the end when you say “In the future it is likely that profit will be built into the corporate model because corporations will control human value without human preferences.” I wonder what that model would look like? And then I have a follow up: from whence do…[Read more]

What a refreshing and helpful way to start the day. Your description of Jane Pauley’s voice is eloquent.

National unity does seem like an impossible dream. It doesn’t feel like Americans are on the same team anymore, and I wonder when that happened. I could blame certain parties, but that does not advance the cause of unity. But if certain parties would be more reasonable, unity would be easier to achieve!

I think one in 500 is extremely generous if you are looking at the entire population. Part of the problem is the almost total lack of Christian education at every level. I understand, though, the grasping after old time religion to try to remake our country the way it used to be. (When we were all white and Judeo-Christian?) But I don’t…[Read more]

Your description of a compassionate United States is a glimpse of what peace on earth could look like. It seems like such a hopeless dream–but it is not rocket science. It is achievable if we had the vision and will to do it. It may not happen anytime soon, but it can happen, it is not impossible– and that gives me hope in this Christmas…[Read more]

What a concise and cogent trip through the decades of our lifetime. I guess the late 40’s and 50’s were a halftime of sorts, too, after the devastation of WWII. Maybe little half time breaks in history are all we ever get. I think we don’t always realize how much of our life experience is dictated by the era we happen to be born into. Or how…[Read more]